General Cruise Discussion

[Brissy1]

Yes use a TA who sells a lot of cruises. We use a Virtuoso agent on the Sunny Coast but business is done over the internet. We have always had some OBC and occasionally extra.
But where they are essential is if something goes wrong. Always do better than expected with us.

Thanks, today on this forum I've now got the contract of a luxury Virtuoso agent.
Edit "contact"

 

[Brissy1]

Cruise Athens to Rome booked and paid, flights booked and paid with 2-4 days breaks in Abu Dhabi (complimentary from Etihad), Istanbul, Athens, and Rome. No awards available so we're down the back, sent copy to MsB of her flight ticket, she replied "something wrong with my ticket it says economy"

 

[Quickstatus]

Anyone heard of Scenic Eclipse II?

 

[SYD]

Anyone heard of Scenic Eclipse II?

Made the TV news the other night.

 

[JohnM]

Anyone heard of Scenic Eclipse II?

 

[drron]

I am not surprised. Despite many people saying the opposite sea ice in western Antarctica has increased in the last 12 months.

 

[luxury-lizard]

eeh, I'm surprised this did not make the news here - we were on the Scenic Eclipse II a few months ago (Darwin-Raja Ampat-Darwin) - not at all impressed (ship is lovely but "adventure", as opposed to "expedition" activities were very disappointing).

 

[RooFlyer]

Anyone heard of Scenic Eclipse II?

Polar Class 6 - so pretty rugged. But they bit off more than they could 'chew'. I wonder if the lecturers covered Shackleton's expedition while they waited for help?

 

[bPeteb]

In Wellington over the weekend and our next floating hotel was in town, Norwegian Spirit.

Azamara Pursuit was in the day we arrived and I saw it yesterday afternoon sailing out of the sounds after visiting Picton.

 

[DC3]

Carnival in the headlines, not that AFFers cruise with them it seems:

Harmful drinking water, $2.50-an-hour pay: What's happening with Carnival?

A major cruise ship has been investigated by the maritime safety regulator for claims around poor working conditions. A spokesperson for The Carnival Cruise Line says it has "nothing to hide" and welcomes AMSA's oversight. Here's what we know so far.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Buzzard]

Carnival in the headlines, not that AFFers cruise with them it seems:

Harmful drinking water, $2.50-an-hour pay: What's happening with Carnival?

A major cruise ship has been investigated by the maritime safety regulator for claims around poor working conditions. A spokesperson for The Carnival Cruise Line says it has "nothing to hide" and welcomes AMSA's oversight. Here's what we know so far.

www.abc.net.au

Two things
Since when is Carnival Encounter a "luxury" ship?
IME talking to crew, harsh conditions are the norm on several cruise lines.

 

[bPeteb]

Carnival in the headlines, not that AFFers cruise with them it seems:

Harmful drinking water, $2.50-an-hour pay: What's happening with Carnival?

A major cruise ship has been investigated by the maritime safety regulator for claims around poor working conditions. A spokesperson for The Carnival Cruise Line says it has "nothing to hide" and welcomes AMSA's oversight. Here's what we know so far.

www.abc.net.au

We have. We’re not $1000/night cruisers

 

[drcam]

Trying to decide between a Silversea repositioning cruise (dirt cheap for that line) at ~ $7500 from Tokyo to Alaska in early May, and a PONANT expedition cruise from Scotland to Iceland at $17k for mid-May. I am spending June and early July in northern Europe anyway. Prices are for solo occupancy. Hmmm.

 

[RB]

Trying to decide between a Silversea repositioning cruise (dirt cheap for that line) at ~ $7500 from Tokyo to Alaska in early May, and a PONANT expedition cruise from Scotland to Iceland at $17k for mid-May. I am spending June and early July in northern Europe anyway. Prices are for solo occupancy. Hmmm.

Makes me think that at this stage you don't know what you want to do (not much in common between the 2 options)

 

[drcam]

My preference is for the latter - it fits with the places I want to visit but with more time.
My TA is taking a long time to get back to me.

 

[Buzzard]

We’re not $1000/night cruisers

Same here. Have been very happy with RCL, Celebrity, Princess and Azamara.

 

[zig]

Makes me think that at this stage you don't know what you want to do (not much in common between the 2 options)

Agree with this comment. Two totally different cruise experiences. I have done the Silversea transoceanic, it is a classic cruise and has about 8 sea days, so consider if you are ok with that. The Ponant expedition will be a much more active experience.
Better to spend the money doing something you really want to do.

 

[RooFlyer]

Trying to decide between a Silversea repositioning cruise (dirt cheap for that line) at ~ $7500 from Tokyo to Alaska in early May, and a PONANT expedition cruise from Scotland to Iceland at $17k for mid-May. I am spending June and early July in northern Europe anyway. Prices are for solo occupancy. Hmmm.

I can't see why you would think about those in the same 'breath'. 'Polar' opposite choices. As I've said before in your separate thread, booking a cruise now for May will be excessively costly. If you are determined to go on a cruise - any cruise - in May, do the repositioning one, but in isolation I think that would be a waste of money.

My TA is taking a long time to get back to me.

Ditch them.

 

[drcam]

I'd be spending some days in Denali and Alaska afterwards if I went on a Silversea repositioning cruise. The sea days are fine as I would be working during those. I would probably go and visit Yukon before heading down to Vancouver to catch a flight back to Japan. Denali/Anchorage/Fairbanks have been on my bucket list for decades, I made it to the Panhandle but that's it.

As for my TA they have got back to me but they are saying Ponant are the ones being slow and being the limiting factor.